Fate's Design
by Zelda fangirl
Summary: First Fanfiction! Link is an orphan living on the streets of Hyrule, then he meets Princess Zelda. Can a street boy and a Princess save the world from darkness? (yes, I know, its a horrible summary.) (T just to be safe, there's nothing bad in there...)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Stop! Somebody stop that thief!" The shout rang out across the busy street as an acocusing finger pointed at a startled young boy who had taken off running down the street. The boy, though he looked like the common street criminal, hadn't stolen anything, but he knew that his ragged attire, unnatural skinniness, and the fact that he was overall covered in filth did not help his case. The boy sprinted down the street, his bare feet hitting the cobblestone at surprisingly fast pace. As he knocked over passer-biers, shocked onlookers, and random bystanders he shouted apologies over his shoulder. Really all he had wanted was to find a good, honest odd job that would help him feed his family tonight, but he realized as he sprinted down the street, lungs burning, that would require him to have good luck, which was impossible because he was practically cursed. As the boy made his mad dash down the street, he found himself smashing into the shiny decorative armor of a Knight as he apologized over his shoulder to an old woman.

"Watch were you're going, peasant filth." The Knight spat, then he studied the scene on the street before him and grabbed the poor boy's boney wrist, hauling him up from the place he lay sprawled out on the ground, "well well, what do we have here?" The Knight smiled evilly, "I believe I've just caught myself a filthy peasant thief." The man spat in the boy's face before hauling him off to some inferior guard to take care of. The boy soon enough found his hands chained together as he was marched to the castle dungeons. After being abruptly shoved into a cell, with lots of insults, spit, and laughter from the guards, the boy inspected his surroundings. He had never been inside the castle before, even if he was only in prison, and even the dungeons were nicer that the slums he called home. There was no one in the cell with him, and it was equipped with a wooden plank covered with straw and a threadbare blanket as a bed, though that was more than the boy could say for his own. The boy sat down on the plank and wondered if they intended on feeding him daily, and if so, how he could sneak the food out to his starving younger sister, and the rest of their street orphan gang, whom they considered family. Food was the reason he was here in the first place, he was accused of stealing bread as he wandered around the city looking for someone willing to give him work. As a rule, the boy and his friends didn't steal food, that was unfair to the poor people they stole from, instead, they worked for bread crumbs and moldy cheese, or gathered leftovers and scraps from the dumps on the richer ends of town. The boy worried about his younger sister for quite some time before contenting himself by remembering that the rest of the gang would watch out for her until he came back. That was another rule of their way of life, they watched each other's backs, everyone's needs mattered. His sister would be fine, he was sure of that. The boy passed the day by sleeping, he could have sworn that the makeshift jail bed was the most comfortable surface he had ever slept on. He was awoken a few hours later to a guard shouting insults and banging on a dirty pan. When the boy heard "grub." he perked up, they did, in fact, plan on feeding him. While he was, of course, a good, law abiding lowest-class citizen, he was beginning to think about being accused of being a thief more often, he'd have a stable supply of food to offer to his friends, which was more than any of them could say, even if the meal wasn't intended to completely fill one person. The "food" turned out to be half a loaf of stale bread and a small cup of water, but the boy was delighted anyway. He quickly grabbed a dirty rag that at one point had been a handkerchief of some sort from a small pocket in his ragged shirt and wrapped up the bread, sticking it down his shirt. The one sorry half-loaf alone was more than any of his friends had eaten at once in their entire lives. A few days went by with the same basic routine; sleep, wake up to insults and banging, hoard food for friends, repeat. Finally the day came when a guard insulted him for a good five minutes, spat at him several times, kicked him twice, and then yanked him by the chain between his wrists (which had never been removed) out of the cell. The boy, quite startled, grabbed as much of his stashed treasure as he could hide down his shirt without looking too conspicuous, and followed the guard out, carefully keeping his head and eyes down. The boy was lead to a large stone chamber with red carpet plushy-er than anything he had ever felt before, a guard grumbled about his filth ruining the floor, though it was clearly already covered in muddy boot prints. The boy couldn't help but marvel at the room he was in, he could almost swear he was in a palace of the gods. The boy, much to his surprise, found himself before a huge golden chair lined with plush velvet, with a girl about his age sitting in it. The boy dropped to the floor without a single touch from the guards, kneeling before the girl like he was praying to a deity-come-to-earth. The girl waved her hand at the kneeling guards, who ever so reluctantly left. Now it was just the boy, who's nose was pressed against the carpet, and the girl he apparently revered as a god.

"They're gone, you don't have to do that, I'm not Hylia or anything." The girl smiled. Slowly and unsurely, the boy rose to the kneeling position the knights had assumed in her presence.

"Really, you don't have to kneel," the girl smiled, "would you be more comfortable if I stood up?"

The boy didn't move a muscle, nor did he say a word.

The girl sighed, "alright, then," she sounded disappointed, though she didn't move from her throne, "as I understand, you have been accused of stealing bread." she looked the boy over for a moment, "it looks like you could really use some food, anyways." The boy felt his ears and face grow red, the girl was mortified, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend you!" She rushed to apologize, feeling her own ears grow red. When the boy didn't respond, she reluctantly returned to her duties, "I'll let you go this time, because I doubt that you're the true thief, but please be careful, I can't guarantee I'll be the one making the decision next time, nor can I guarantee my father would let you off so simply."

The boy felt like nothing short of kissing her feet at that moment, but he knew even that honor was above him.

"Now, if you will allow me to remove those chains." The girl stood up and approched the boy, who offered his arms to her, holding them above his bowed head. As the metal fell from his wrists, the girl gently lowered his arms.

"May I ask you a question?" The girl asked him gently as he remained perfectly still before her, she noticed a microscopic nod of his head, "since we have yet to have a proper introduction, I'll begin. I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule, as I am quite sure you already know. May I ask your name?"

The boy appeared startled, even from his kneeling position.

"I would think the name of a filthy peasant brat would be of no importance to you, Your Highness." The boy replied ever so quietly, Zelda was sure she would have missed it if she didn't have the natural gift of hearing given to Hylians at birth.

"Even if you are a figure of no apparent consequence, I would like to know your name." She replied softly, taken aback by his words.

"Link, Your Majesty." The boy replied almost silently, as though he himself thought so little of the name that he didn't want it to be heard.

"Well, Link, I think you belittle yourself, after all, Hylia must have guided us to each other for a reason." Zelda replied softly, "you are free to go, Link, if you should chose to." Link stood slowly, preformed the deepest bow Zelda had ever seen, and left the room still mostly doubled over. Zelda sighed, why in Hyrule would anyone say such a thing about themselves, especial in front of the Princess? Zelda understood that he hadn't made the comment to arouse her sympathy, it was quite apparent that he was a very humble boy. Perhaps he thought so lowly of himself that he did not believe his name was fit to be uttered in the castle, much less by royalty? In any case, the boy was quite a mystery to her, particularly the strange mark she had noticed on his left hand, the mark of the royal family. Zelda herself had the same mark on her left hand, though if the boy possessed it that could only mean he was chosen by the gods. The mark had been what prompted her to ask his name in the first place, it wasn't that she didn't care about her subjects, their social class and ranking was of no importance to her, they were all her people, and as their ruler-to-be, Zelda felt it her responsibility to put social and financial issues aside and treat them all equally to herself. But while that was true, she couldn't be expected to know every person in her kingdom by name, and the nobility of Hyrule who did not view their given power in the same way as she did would find it most revolting that she knew the name if a vagabond. However, Zelda had felt a strange connection to Link (how ironic that his name would mean connection) from the moment he had entered the throne room regrettably chained and dressed in filthy rags. Zelda found herself watching him leave from the window, wondering where he was going, wondering if anyone would be overjoyed to see him return, wondering if a similarly dressed woman that was his mother would hold him for hours and cry with him pressed in her arms. Zelda realized how ridiculous it was to even hope for Link's sake he had someone to love him when he returned, epically a mother. Zelda highly suspected that even if he did have a mother, his disappearance and return would go entirely unnoticed, the thought of which made her heart ache.

"I wish that there was more I could do for you, Link." She whispered a the skinny and ragged figure disappeared through the castle gates. For now, her thoughts and well wishes would have to suffice, because at this point really all she could give him was a bath, a decent pair of clothes, and her fondest regards.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

**Sorry about the first chapter, lords of copyright. I own ABSOLUTELY nothing. (Except maybe Mako) **

Link found the slum easily, even in the dead of night. Just as he suspected, he was smothered by embrace, as whoever had been keeping night watch had warned the others of his return.

"Link, you're back!"

"Link, you scared us!"

"Link, we thought you were dead!"

Fifty or so voices seemed to shout at him all at once, their words and messages jumbled.

"All of you shut up." A stern female voice commanded from the "doorway" of one of the many cloth dwellings. Every voice immediately fell silent.

"You better have something good, you scared us all to death, especially Aryll." The girls voice rang out into the night. Her short strawberry blonde hair dancing with a night breeze.

"Aryll, is she alright?" Link's voice was filled with concern, "can I see her?"

"You're all she's been asking for for the past few days, she even refused to eat until you came back, I sure hope by Din you can see her, poor thing." The girl's voice was soft, filled with sadness and sympathy for the little girl she spoke of.

Link rushed toward the tent the girl had emerged from, the small skeletal figure of a girl wrapped in many ragged blankets and coughing so much her whole body shook greeted him.

"Aryll, it's okay, it's me, Link. Are you alright?" Link smiled sadly but lovingly at the poor little girl. Who simply nodded.

"Look," Link said gently as he pulled two of the stale loafs of bread out of his shirt, "I brought something for you, it's bread, see?" He gently offered it to a skeletal hand that was rising up to take it.

"Let me get some water for you, I'll be right back." Link smiled gently at the girl as she carefully licked a few crumbs off the bread. Link quickly returned to the tent with a bucket of not-to-clean looking water and a small cup. He carefully took the bread from the little girl and ripped off a chunk, which he then dipped in the water.

"Open up." He smiled as he sat down on the elevated wooden platform she lay on beside her. The girl obliged, opening her mouth so that her older brother could feed her.

"You know you have to eat for Mako, too," the boy said gently as he repeated the process, "you can't just starve when I'm gone, Aryll. You scare me half to death when she tells me that." The little girl began to cough, Link quickly helped her drain the contents of the cup before dipping it back into the bucket and returning to the process of soggifying the stale bread so she could eat it.

"But...I...don't...want...you...to...leave...me...Big...Brother..." The little girl choked out between coughs.

A tear slid silently down Link's face, "I have to leave sometimes, Aryll, otherwise we can't get food. How am I gonna make you get better if I can't make sure you can eat? I have to go get food so you can get better and play outside again."

"But...can't...Mako...just..." The girl's scratchy voice was constantly being interrupted by her coughing fits. Link quickly helped her drain the

contents of the cup a second time. "Remember, Mako and I take turns looking for food, it wouldn't be fair for me to make Mako do all the work." The girl didn't try to speak this time, instead she just chewed feebly on her next mouthful of bread.

"Link," the girl from earlier cleared her throat from the entrance to the tent, Link turned around mid feeding the little girl.

"Yeah?" He asked hesitantly as he made sure the little girl swallowed.

"Can you talk to me for a moment?"

"Sure." Link slowly got up and gave one skeletal hand a small squeeze, causing the owner to smile.

The two exited the tent.

"Link, I know you got caught, don't deny it. Tell me what happened." The girl demanded bluntly.

"I was falsely accused of stealing bread. I hoarded prison food, the Princess let me out." He replied simply, quickly supplying the girl with the hoarded prison food.

"This is what you were feeding Aryll?"

"Yes."

"Thank you." The look in her eyes told Link that she was truly grateful for the much needed food.

"Anytime." He smiled back before returning to the tent with Aryll. Link didn't sleep that night, he was to busy watching his little sister, making sure that she was okay. Lately she had been getting worse, not better, and Link couldn't help but worry about her immensely.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

**I own NOTHING! **

_time lapse!_

While before Aryll had een experiencing a steady decrease in her already poor health, her health was now in a state of rapid decline. Link worried more and more about her every day, and every time he went out to collect food, he feared Mako, the strawberry blonde girl, would have to deliver the worst news when he got back. Before, Aryll had simply refused to eat for anyone but her brother, now she couldn't even eat for him. Link and Mako put every rupee they could scrape up towards medicine and a doctor for the little girl, but Link feared that even if they somehow did scrape up the money, it would be far too late. As his younger sister's health rapidly declined, Link found himself staying up all night crying nearly every night. Aryll was dying, and both Link and Mako knew it, though they didn't want to admit it. Mako found herself out more often, knowing she wouldn't be able to handle the little girl's death. Link found himself constantly at Aryll's side, as if he watched her carefully enough, she couldn't slip away from him. One dark, foreboding, stormy night, Link couldn't take it anymore. Careful not to wake the sleeping girl, Link picked up Aryll and wrapped her up with every blanket they had, she weighed almost nothing, which made Link's heart break. Mako entered the cloth dwelling just as he was about to exit, thoroughly soaked from the rain, "by Din, Link," she hissed as she saw the bundle he was holding, and noticed the absence of a bundle in Aryll's normal place, "what are you doing, you can't take her out in a storm like this! You'll kill her!"

"She'll die if I don't do something soon." Link protested, "I'm going to get help."

"How? We can't even dream of affording a doctor."

"I'll do whatever it takes to see her get better, Mako. If that means selling myself into slavery, then by Din so be it." Link replied sternly.

"Link, you can't," Mako protested meekly, grabbing his shoulder and staring into his deep blue eyes, "we need you."

"Aryll needs me more." Link replied quietly, "maybe I'll come back."

"Don't say that," Mako pleaded, "you will come back, you and Aryll will come back."

"Hopefully." Link replied grimly before setting off into the storm, he could only pray that he wasn't to late.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**I own Nothing! **

Link realized immediately that going to a doctor was a terrible idea, he didn't have any money on him, and his only form of payment at the current moment was offering himself as a slave. Instead, he went to the castle, from his former experience with the Princess, he could guess that she would be willing to help him, though he'd have to find her first. Carefully slipping past the grumbling guards, he made it onto castle grounds. He had only seen two places in the castle, the dungeon and the throne room, and based off that he headed to the thrown room. He realized just how dangerous it could be for Aryll and lovingly hid the still-sleeping child behind the fancy chair. Given that it was the middle of the night, he figured he would have to somehow find the Princess in the dark. It didn't take too long, fortunately, a group of noble girls were just leaving from what he assumed to be a royal slumber party. He waited for a while to make sure that the Princess was alone before hesitantly knocking on the huge fancily carved door.

Zelda was startled to find Link kneeling at her door, to say the least.

"Oh goddesses you scared me, Link! Are you alright?"

"Please, Your Majesty, my sister is dying." Link replied quietly, his head down so she couldn't see him crying.

Zelda was shocked and horrified, "that's awful! Is there anything I can do to help?" Although the comment itself didn't sound like something very sincere, the way the she said it made it obvious that she did really want to help in any way she could.

"Please, do whatever you can to help her, Your Majesty. I can't lose her, she's the only family I have left." Zelda could hear him crying by now.

"Of course I'll help," she replied quietly, "could you please lead me to her, I know some healing spells that may help her."

Link stood up and quickly lead her to the place where he had hidden the little girl behind the throne. Zelda was horrified by the skeletal figure before her, "why didn't you get help sooner?" She whispered, unwilling to wake the sleeping girl, "the poor child is barely alive."

"We can't afford to help her, Your Majesty, I can't even pay you now, unless you'll take me as payment." Link replied quietly. Zelda was even more horrified, in return for helping him, he would offer himself as a slave, it was terrifying.

"No, you don't need to repay me," Zelda replied quietly but firmly as soon as she found her voice again, "I want to help."

Lightning flashed in the distance, the little girl woke up in a coughing fit, Link quickly pulled a bottle of water out of his pocket, Zelda highly doubted that it was sanitary.

"Shh," he whispered soothingly to the little girl, "it's alright, you're going to be fine."

"Where...are...we?" The little girl coughed as she looked around in amazement.

"I took you to see someone to help you get better," Link smiled at the little girl, "my friend," he glanced up awkwardly at the Princess, "is going to make you better now." Zelda smiled slightly and very carefully began reciting every healing spell she knew, spells that cured hiccups, spells to cure colds, spells that fixed a bloody nose, but none of them seemed to work. Zelda and Link glanced worriedly at each other.

"Let's go to the library," Zelda suggested as she stood, "I'm sure I can find a spell there."

Link nodded and gently a scooped up the little girl, "lead the way."

The trio stuck to the shadows as they hurried to the library, once they got there, Link set Aryll down on a table. Zelda immediately began searching the shelves for a book that would contain the information she needed.

"Found it." Zelda proclaimed proudly as she slammed a huge old book down on the table. She opened the musty old pages and began rapidly flipping through in search of the most powerful healing spell in existence. Link held Aryll's skeletal hand as he watched Zelda with anticipation. Zelda carefully read the spell aloud a few times to help herself remember it before closing her eyes and placing one hand on the little girl's chest, she could feel her heart thumping feebly through the taught, colorless skin. Zelda chanted the spell quietly as Link prayed to Hylia, begging her to spare his sister.

_okay, so, I'm stuck. People keep on telling me to continue in different ways. So, a poll! Does Aryll die, or not? I will continue the story based on the majority vote, meaning updates could take a while. Thank you so much for supporting my story! And to the three people following and Akayo Zetra, I love you guys! You are THE BEST! _

_Thanks so much again,_

_- Zelda fangirl_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter**** 5**

**I own Nothing! **

_Hey there! Thanks so much to everyone who voted! You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for your feedback! Sadly, my poll came out a tie, so I asked a friend to be my tiebreaker, and the results are... Read to find out! Thanks again and I love you guys!_

_- Zelda fangirl_

Aryll took one deep shuttering breath, and then fell utterly and totally still. Link felt what little warmth there had been drain slowly from her skeletal hand, more tears than ever before in his life flowing down his face. Zelda was crying as well, having felt the feeble rapping of Aryll's heart against her ribcage cease, "I'm so, so sorry Link." She whispered, wishing there was something she could do to fix everything, even though she knew there was not.  
>Link glanced up at her, his eyes blurry from his tears, "I was too late. I was too late to save her. My little sister, my only relative, is dead, and it's all because of me." He began shaking with sobs, his whole body contracting with every labored, angry breath, "How could I let this happen? How could I be so selfish?" He sobbed, his head in his hands as he leaned against the table, trying to control himself.<br>"Link, it isn't your fault." Zelda whispered gently, trying to sooth the grief-stricken boy.  
>"It is! I was supposed to protect her!" Link cried, a torrent of tears flowing down his face, "I was supposed to take care of her!"<br>"Link, please." Zelda pleaded quietly.  
>Link stood up, though his body was still convulsing with sobs, "thank you for everything you did, Princess. I will never be able to repay you for trying to save my sister. You did your best, Your Majesty, and I don't blame you at all." He grabbed the small body on the table, clutching it to his chest, "goodbye, Princess." He whispered, and then he left, leaving Zelda to cry alone, the howling wind outside her only companion in the shadows of the library.<p>

_heh, my shortest chapter yet, and probably most depressing... Sorry about that, guys... Anyways, thanks so much and all of you are awesome!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six**

Link made Aryll's coffin and dug her grave himself, using the best wood he could afford to build the coffin, and digging the grave with an old rusted shovel. After her makeshift funeral was over, Link went inside his shack and refused to come out, ever. He hadn't spoken since he had said goodbye to Zelda, and he had spent almost every moment of every day crying, sometimes just a gentle trickle of tears rolling down his face, sometimes a flood that wet the ground at his feet. He refused to eat, or sleep, or do anything but sit alone and cry, torturing himself with his own thoughts. No one had the heart to go bother him, even if they knew it would be for his own benefit, they were all mourning too.

_Time lapse_

"Link? Can I come in?" Mako stood outside the entrance to Link's dwelling, glancing awkwardly over her shoulder at the strange cloaked person standing behind her. There was no reply. "Fine, be that way." She muttered under her breath before pushing the rags that substituted for a door aside and ducking into the dwelling anyways. Link was asleep, curled up in the dirt and holding a blanket, tears rolling down his face even in his sleep.

"Hey," Mako knelt down beside him and shook his shoulder gently, "wake up." Startled by the sudden contact, Link jumped up quickly, looking ready to run.

"You look awful." Mako sighed as Link relaxed. Link just stared at her grumpily, though he knew her statement was true. The cloaked figure entered and stood silently in the background, it took a moment for both Link and Mako to notice them.

"Oh, right." Mako blushed, "they wanted to talk to you, Link, so I'll leave you two alone." She hurried out of the dwelling awkwardly, leaving Link alone with the cloaked figure. Link knelt as soon as he knew they were alone, having already figured out who the figure was.

"You haven't eaten since the last time we met, have you?" The figure asked softly, sadness ringing in their gentle tone, "you were skinny enough as it was, you're going to starve yourself to death."

"Maybe I don't see a point in living any more, Princess." Link replied quietly, his voice scratchy from lack of use.

"If I begged you not to give up, I doubt it would do any good, but I'm going to try anyways," their voice had taken on a new tone of sadness and depression, along with a desperate, pleading tone and despair, "please, Link, I implore you, don't give up, everyone here need you now more than ever. They are all broken and at loss too, they need you to help you get through this... I need you to help me get through this. I'm so sorry for everything you've been through, I'm so sorry you have to live like this, and if I had the power to fix it, I would in a heartbeat, but I don't. If I had the power to bring her back, I would do it in a blink, but I don't, I can't do anything, Link, I'm powerless, and it hurts now more than ever." Zelda collapsed on the ground, sobbing into her hands, "I'm supposed to be strong, but how can I be strong when I can't do anything."

"You gave me a chance, Princess." Link whispered, "you tried your hardest to give Aryll a chance, but it was already to late."

Zelda managed to compose herself, sitting up a little straightener, "I came here today because I wanted to talk to you about something, Link. I had a very strange dream last night, one that involved you and a dark shadow covering the land. And today, a strange man came to visit my Father's court, and no matter what Father says, I don't trust him, there's something off about him. He calls himself Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo, but local gossip names him King of Thieves. My Father trusts him wholeheartedly, and a few of the softer headed Lords agree that he is a good and trustworthy man, but the wiser of the counsel and I have our doubts, and I wish to request your help in an investigation." She looked up at Link expectantly.

"As you wish, my Lady." Link replied quietly.

"Then I shall meet you at the castle gate tomorrow, Link. Thank you for your help, and for staying strong. I wish I had your courage." Zelda stood and walked out, quickly wiping the tears from her face as she left the slums and headed home, she didn't need a guide to get back.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Link did at least attempt to look presentable, which was not an easy task given the materials he had to work with. He left before dawn, hoping that no one would notice his absence, but he was expecting a long interrogation from Mako when he did get back anyways, she would want to know what the stranger had talked about. When Zelda arrived at the gate that morning, she was rather surprised to see Link sitting there waiting for her.

"Well, you must have been up early." Zelda smiled as she reached the gate.

"I didn't want to keep you waiting, Princess." Link replied simply.

"You're going to need to change clothes, no offense."

"I'm assuming that I'm going to be given another pair, because these are the only clothes I own, Princess." Link sighed.

"Yes, I figured that, and I happened to prepare for this scenario." Zelda replied, handing him a bundle of green cloth at the first door they came to, which happened to be a tool shed. Link ducked inside and reemerged a few minutes later looking extremely uncomfortable and dressed in a forest green tunic, a beige long sleeve shirt and beige breeches underneath, and an odd floppy forest green wind-sock like contraption hanging off the back of his head and trailing down his back. He fiddled some more with the belt around his waist and the boots on his feet (it was his first experience with shoes), feeling uncomfortable with the whole thing.

"You look handsome." Zelda smiled, then blushed when she realized what she had just said.

Link was blushing even more, "thank you, Princess."

"Oh!" Zelda suddenly remembered something, she quickly went into the tool shed and reappeared with a pair of old gauntlets, the fingerless leather gloves cracked and broken from years of use, "I'm sorry that I couldn't find you a new pair, but you're going to have to wear these." Zelda quickly handed the gauntlets to him, unable to stop herself from glancing down at his left hand. When she handed the gloves over, their left hands brushed for only the briefest moment, but that was enough to spark a small reaction from the marks on both of their hands, on Link, the bottom right triangle glowed a with a faint golden light, and on Zelda, the bottom left did the same. The two stared at each other for a moment in awe, not realizing that someone else in the castle had felt the Power of the holy Objects they possessed radiating as well, and as this mysterious third party watched the gentle glowing pulse on their hand, they smiled sinisterly, "it won't be long now, soon the world will be mine!" They chuckled to themself, thinking of how blessed he must be for the Goddesses to make his mission so easy as to give him the other two Bearers right under his nose, now all he had to do was find Courage.

_Hey guys! Sorry for two fillers in a row, but I'm slowly building up plot through them. Just so you know, the next chapter is probably going to be a filler as well, but of course, I'm putting it there to develop plot. Sorry if this is getting slow after all the excitement previously, but I promise I'm gonna get to the good stuff again soon. Thanks for reading, and I love you guys!_

_- Zelda fangirl_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter not-quite-8**

**I own nothing! **

Link and Zelda a had long since moved on, pushing the phenomenon to the back of their minds for the time being. Now Zelda bickered with her Guardian and mother figure, Impa, over letting Link in on the important meeting the Princess had called for only those she trusted the most.

"I trust him, Impa, isn't that enough for you?" Zelda sighed exasperatedly as Link blushed and stood awkwardly in the background, blending in with a potted plant.

"Princess, I'm not sure where you found him, but he is not about to come into any important meeting until I approve." Impa replied sternly, "besides, have you considered how the nobles would react?"

"I have taken their reactions into consideration, and I have decided that I can handle any and all possible outcomes." Zelda replied firmly.

"All right, I know you won't move from this spot until I permit his entry, you are as stubborn as a mule, Princess." Impa shook her head in a slightly disappointed annoyed manner.

"Thank you!" Zelda hugged Impa awkwardly and then motioned for Link, who rather preferred being a wallflower, to follow her. Sighing slight to himself, he followed after her into yet another huge room that made him fidget uncomfortably due to simply it's sheer size. A small group of very well-dressed men sat in fancy chairs, chatting idly as they waited for the Princess to announce the start of their meeting, Link gulped and lowered his head, wishing he could just sink into the floor or blend in with the wall. Zelda said something, but Link wasn't really listening, all he noticed was that all the chatter stopped and everyone turned to stare at the two of them.

"Who is the boy?" Someone asked.

"He is my guest and is to be treated as such." Zelda replied quickly and firmly, Link highly doubted that would happen, but he said nothing and just kept blushing and staring at the floor.

"I have called you all here today because I question the loyalty and trustworthiness of Ganondorf, Gerudo King. If anyone objects to the subject of discussion, or believes speaking to my Father is the best course of action, I would ask them to please excuse themselves now." Zelda began, no one moved.

"Good. If anyone has objections to the presence of Link, I would ask them to leave as well." Zelda glared at a few men in particular as she said this, one or two men got up and left, Zelda grimaced at them as they left. "Now that we have settled those dilemmas, let us proceed." Zelda gracefully slid over to a chair and sat down, sitting up as stiff as a board, she motioned for Link to take a seat beside her. Link blushed as he did so, feeling that even in his new attire, he would somehow ruin the expensive chair, surely the silk cushioning was far to expensive to be wasted on him.

"I would like to propose that a course of action involving spying on Ganondorf is taken. Before any objection is made, please consider that if he was spied upon, we would have a basis for excusing him from court, instead of forcing him to leave based purely upon my suspicions. Any further comments or suggestions?" Zelda stated in a rather businesslike manner.

"Princess, do pardon the question, but who would be doing the spying?" One man asked in a bored, uninterested manner, causing Link to scowl at the carpet.

Zelda turned to Link, "if you have no objection, Link, I would like to appoint this task to you."

Link almost glanced up at her, as startled as he was, "Your Majesty, I couldn't possibly complete this task..." Link stammered, he was about to explain, but Zelda cut him off.

"I ask you to preform this task because I know of your speed, stealth, and bravery, Link. I would not expect you to know the layout of the entire castle having only entered this palace three times, and I have secured the architectural sketches of the castle for the purpose of your study in full awareness of your lack of familiarity with the layout of the building."

Link nodded quickly, "then I would be willing to accept the task, Your Majesty."

"Excellent," Zelda smiled, "are there any further concerns on the plan?"

"Princess, forgive me for being both rude and blunt," sighed the same bored man, "but are you really going to give a map of Hyrule Castle to a peasant boy?"

"That is my intention, Lord Cleavon," Zelda replied coldly, "and if you do not approve, I would suggest you keep the opinion to yourself."

_Hey there! I'm sorry this took so long! Hopefully the rest of chapter 8 won't take that long, but I'm kinda stuck, so please be patient!_

_- Zelda fangirl_


	9. Chapter 9

**The remainder of Chapter 8**

**I own nothing, and I won't ever!**

Zelda dismissed the meeting shortly afterwords and pulled Link along behind her to the library, attempting to make conversation as they went, although Zelda noticed he was less talkative than usual, which was saying something. When they reached the library, Link refused to sit, and instead remained standing as Zelda laid out the blueprints before him. At first, she didn't understand, but then it hit her, they were standing at the exact table his sister had died on, and surely that chair had to be the same one he had used that night.

"I...I'm sorry..." Zelda whispered as she wiped a stray tear from her face, "I... I didn't mean to, I didn't realize..."

"Princess, I don't blame you for anything that happened that night," Link replied slowly as he continually wiped tears from his face, "it wasn't your fault."

"No, I mean bringing you here. I should have waited, surely Ganondorf is not so much of a threat that I couldn't allow you to recuperate, I shouldn't have brought you here, not with the memory still so fresh in your mind. I'm sorry, Link, I really am. I wish I could have saved her."

"Princess, you're being too hard on yourself." Link whispered, wiping another string of tears from his face.

"So are you. You blame yourself for everything that happened, even though it wasn't your fault."

Link didn't argue, he didn't trust his voice to speak for him without breaking down into sobs. After taking the time needed to compose himself again, Link dared to speak, "But we're wasting time on past tragedies, Princess," slowly and unsurely, he sat down in the chair, running his hands over the strange surface of the map.

Zelda sniffled and wiped the last of her tears from her face, "Yes, let us get down to business. I don't mean to pry, or to be rude, so please don't take me wrong when I ask this, but can you read?"

"No offense taken, Princess, and no, I can't." Link replied, blushing a little.

"That's fine," Zelda sighed, "but this might take a bit longer."

Hours past as Zelda pointed out places and passages to Link, showing him every detail he might need to know about the castle to spy on Ganondorf. Noon came, and Zelda quickly ran off as Link changed into his normal attire, unwilling to attract extra questions from Mako. The two went their separate ways, and it would be a while before Fate would draw them together again.

_Hey there guys! I'm really really sorry this took so long, I've just been really busy! Expect chapter nine sometime in the near future!_

_- Zelda fangirl_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9**

**I still own nothing. **

A month had passed, Link had yet to find anything suspicious about Ganondorf to report to Zelda, although he was finding it increasingly difficult to find coverup stories to explain where her was going and why to Mako, who was getting more skeptical of him by the hour.

"Link! Get up! Now!" Mako yelled, she had shoved aside the cloth door to the ragged dwelling to reveal Link, fast asleep on the dirt ground. Link jumped up, startled by the orange backdrop and the loud screaming that pierced the chilly night air.

"What's going on?" He asked, confused by all of the commotion.

"The castle is on fire!" Mako replied, a slight hint of panic in her voice.

"What?!" Link rushed outside, staring in awe and horror at the tongues of fire engulfing the castle.

"Mako, I've got to go, get everyone out and as far away from the city as you can." Link yelled urgently over his shoulder as he began to jog towards the burning structure looming in he distance.

"Where in the holy name of the Goddesses above do you think you're going?" Mako retorted angrily over the din, "you've been sneaking off daily for a month, and now you want to go into a burning castle!" she grabbed his shoulder and smacked him across the face, "what in the name of Hylia above is wrong with you, boy?"

Link, first looking shocked, then rubbing the side of his face, replied quickly, "Mako, just trust me in this, I have to go. I'll be back soon." and then he took off running down the street, dodging shocked people and screaming woman on his way.

"Link, I don't know what in the name of Din you've gotten yourself into, but I am about to get to the bottom of this." Mako muttered under her breath before taking off after him.

It didn't take Link very long to make his way through the burning castle, he had memorized the map long ago. So, hacking up smoke as he ran, he hurried to the Princess's room, hoping she would be inside so that he wouldn't have to search for her in the flames. Sure enough, as he approached the door he heard feminine coughing.

"Princess?" He barely managed to hack out the word as he choked on smoke.

"Link?" Someone choked through their coughs.

"Wait a moment, Princess!" Link yelled, testing the door and then cursing under his breath through his coughs as he found it locked.

"Link! There's a guard who has a set of keys down the hall to the left! I can't get to the door!" Zelda hacked out. Not bothering to waste time telling her that he had heard, Link ran off to find the guard. The man was either passed out or dead, slumped over against a wall. Link quickly grabbed the man's keys and his sword, figuring it couldn't hurt to be armed. After quickly unlocking the door, Link kicked it open, smoke billowing out into his face, causing him to cough and his eyes to water. Zelda was tied to a bedpost and in her nightgown, coughing up a storm. Link quickly cut the ropes binding her to the bed with the sword and picked her up as she had passed out while he was freeing her.

"Who in the name of the gods is that!" Mako's voice was filled with fury.

Link ignored her, instead grabbing a cloak for Zelda from her wardrobe, as well as a bundle of green cloth badly hidden under a few pairs of shoes, the fabric wrapped around a pair of sturdy boots. Holding the Princess bridal style, with the cloak wrapped loosely around her and the bundle of cloth rested gently on her stomach, Link hurried out of the burning building and to an old toolshed, unaffected by the flames.

"Watch her." Link commanded Mako quickly as he ducked inside, returning a few moments later dressed in the strange green attire the Princess had given him. Zelda was awake, and coughing uncontrollably.

"Morning, Princess," Link smiled.

"What in the name of Hylia are you wearing?" Mako demanded quickly, "and why did you call her princess?"

"Mako, Princess Zelda, Your Majesty, Mako." Link sighed as he helped Zelda to her feet.

"WHAT?" Mako exploded, staring back and forth from the Princess to Link in shock.

"I'm afraid we don't have time to explain," Zelda sighed, "May I suggest that we visit the armory and then the stables? We are running low on time, so let's please make this speedy."

Link nodded, "can you walk?"

"I believe so," Zelda replied simply, "but I think I would be a hindrance. Please secure a bow and a few quivers for me while you're arming yourself, Link. I will meet you in the stables."

Link nodded again before running off, leaving the stunned Mako alone with the Princess.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mako." Zelda said nonchalantly as she watched Link's retreating back.

_Hey there! I'm sorry_ _if this chapter was poorly written, because I feel like it was. But finally, excitement! Anyways, thanks for reading and I love you guys! _

_-Zelda fangirl_


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